Augur: A Pokémon Insurgence Novel
by ValiantSirnight
Summary: It's been months since the First Augur had vanished after seeking out the last of the cults of Torren. Having not been heard from since, a new Augur by the name of Jaern has risen to defend the land from the evil that still plagues it. With promises of a hopeful future and the destruction of the remaining cults, the citizens of Torren are able to be at peace... or so they thought.
1. Prologue

The mood of the citizens, like the overcast skies of Torren, was grim at best as they all gathered in the middle of the town square. Murmurs shot through the crowd as a tall, blond-haired man dressed in white and gold took his place upon the stage. Clearing his throat, he set his turquoise eyes upon the crowd who waited with varying degrees of unrest.

"Fellow citizens of Torren…" he began, setting his face into a neutral expression as he ventured on. "I want to thank you all for coming. It is with a heavy heart that I must bring bad tidings on a day such as this…"

Silence reigned as the crowd waited for his next statement.

"The Augur, the man we all revered, respected and loved, was a great man. Admired by all and matched by none, he was undoubtedly our greatest protector from the evil of this land."

"Was? What does he mean?"

"Just what is he getting at?"

"As many of you may know, the Augur had left some time ago in order to seek out the remaining cults that still taint this fair land, and eliminate them once and for all. We had hoped to have heard from him by this point. However, fate being the cruel mistress that she is, saw to it that he did not return…"

His statement ripped through the crowd, stunning the mass of citizens that had gathered. Was the Augur dead? Were they not safe anymore? All these questions and more plagued the minds of every individual within mere moments of it being said.

"I'm certain you all are rather shocked by this news and rest assured you are not alone in this feeling. While we are all conditioned to fear the worst, I say we break that chain and take a different path! I believe that our Augur is still alive!"

A spark of hope was lit at these words, causing the worries to slowly dissipate as he went on.

"Although he may be missing in action, there is no proof that he is gone from this world, and I will be the one to prove it. Until the Augur has been returned, I Jaern shall serve in his stead as the second Augur of Torren!"

Mixed emotions filled the onlookers as Jaern declared himself the second Augur. It was true that he was a powerful trainer and that very few could stand against him. However, there remained so much that the inhabitants of the region didn't know. All things considered, to know that there was someone willing to step up and be the region's protector was a comfort in itself.

"I know I may not be half the man the Augur is, but rest assured I aim to utilize all of my resources to find him and restore him to his rightful place!"

A rallied, jubilant cry, echoed through the crowd.

"Until that day, I will defend our home! I will use the full extent of my power to trample and destroy every cult, every wicked fiend who dares desecrate our land with their wickedness!"

Roars of approval tore through the air.

"These cultist, will rue the day that they were born! So prepare yourselves my fellow citizens, because the day is coming when we will finally be able to live in peace again. No more will we have to worry about our children, or any of our loved ones being taken away by these demons! Sleep will come easy and tranquility will reign once more. This is my promise to you. Until the First Augur returns, we will remain strong, and nothing will break our will. Long live the Torren Region!"

"LONG LIVE THE TORREN REGION!" the crowd bellowed in repetition, earning a satisfied smile from Jaern who turned with a swish of his cloak to exit the stage.

* * *

Delight. That was what she felt as she stood over the youth who rested upon the bed inside the prison cell she'd placed him in. She gazed upon his sleeping form, tracing his visage with a slender finger, a shiver of satisfaction rippling through her in anticipation of what would come next. Reaching up to her necklace, she unclipped a black sphere from it and tapped the button in the center of it to expand the size of the ball.

"It's time, Gengar…" she stated, releasing the Shadow Pokémon from her containment.

A sinister grin crossed the woman's face as she turned her eyes back to the sleeping young man.

"Dinner is served my pet. The memories of this one will fill you until you are ready to burst," she giggled, stroking his hair once more before heading towards the exit. "Make sure you don't stop until every last memory is gone," she spoke over her shoulder before leaving the prison and locking it.

Looking over at two of her subordinates, the dark robed individuals shifted their attention to her, waiting upon orders.

"The ritual will be starting soon. I expect you both to be there," she ordered.

"Yes Mistress Persephone," her cohorts replied swiftly.

With a satisfied smirk, she turned away, only to be stopped short as one of her subjects called out to her.

"What is it now?" she replied, casting them a dark look that sent shivers down their spine.

"I beg your pardon but…"

"But what?" she hissed impatiently.

"What do you plan to do when his memories are depleted?"

A twisted smile curved onto her face as she tapped her chin in thought.

"That's simple," she began, "kill him of course. Now, if you've no other questions, I need the two of you upstairs in two minutes…"

And with that, she walked off, the sound of her heels clicking echoing off the walls as she walked away. The two robed subjects sighed in relief as her presence left them alone.

"What's the point of doing this if she's just going to kill him anyway?"

"Thank goodness you didn't ask that while she was here. You know how she doesn't like being questioned about her decisions. The last one who tried that was destroyed on the spot…"

"You think I don't remember? I was there. I guess I was lucky she was in a good mood. I don't know why we were ordered to capture this guy, but whatever the reason, it must be good if she's resorting to these measures…"

"Let's just get moving before she gets angry. Gengar's already started…"

* * *

_"Hello? Can you hear me? Oh please still be—"_

The youth mumbled unintelligibly as a voice suddenly echoed in his ears.

_"Oh thank Arceus you're alive! Listen, we need to hurry. Right now your very life is in jeopardy and if you don't wake up now you will die!"_

Another mumble slipped out as he stirred in his sleep.

_"Dammit can you hear me!? Please, I need you to hear me. If you can, please answer me!"_

"I…I can…" he muttered.

_"Yes! Ok… perfect! Now, I need you to focus, if you do we can stop this whole thing. Right now your memories are being taken from you and in a short hour, you are going to die! But if we hurry, we can stop it. I've sent someone to help you, but I need to know something. Do you at least remember your name?"_

"It's Zander…"

_"Good! Now, you…"_

_"Need…"_

_"To…"_

_"WAKE UP!"_

Zander's eyes shot open at the shout of awakening that rang in his ears, startling the Gengar who had been feasting on his memories. Zander rolled off the bed and backpedaled towards the far corner of the cell, Gengar following him with a perpetual grin on her face as she cornered her prey. Her eyes began to glow as she prepared to put him to sleep and finish her job. However, as she was about to execute her plan, a powerful psychic force placed her into a full body paralysis, holding her in place, and cutting off the use of her powers.

Materializing before her was a small, pink, cat-like Pokémon with a long swaying tail. Fear gripped Gengar as Mew, the one whose DNA is composed of every Pokémon in existence, hovered beside the petrified young man, its psychic powers keeping Gengar at bay. This did not bode well. With little effort, Mew exerted considerable force and sent Gengar through the wall.

_"Alright, that's been taken care of. Now, get moving. Mew will guide you out of here so make sure to stay close to it. I chose Mew due to the special ability that it holds. While it has the ability to transform into anything it sees fit, it can also transfigure humans into anyone as well as long as there is DNA to work with. Be sure to move fast as there's not much time to lose!"_

"Hold on a —"

_"Don't speak, someone might hear you! Now go!"_

Zander stopped talking and looked back at Mew. While his memory was foggy due to what Gengar had done, he knew exactly what Mew was. He'd read on it somewhere in books of legend, and if he wasn't seeing it for himself, he wouldn't believe that something of such rarity were right in front of him. The little feline gestured to the door to the cell which it opened via psychic power. Taking the hint, Zander hurried out of the cell, lest he be found and locked back inside. He knew Mew was powerful, but Gengar would come back eventually, and she wasn't going to be happy.

Leading the way, Mew brought Zander to a flight of stairs that lead upwards towards the first floor and their escape if all went well. Quietly ascending so as not to make any sound, Zander pressed his back to the wall as he reached the top of the stairs and then peered around the corner to see an empty hall on both sides. Spotting what he hoped would be the exit, Zander hurried to the door only to find that it wouldn't open. A hand scanner was beside it which meant that his hopes of escape were dashed unless he found a way around the security system set in place.

_Now what?_ Zander thought, his mind racing as he searched for a solution to his current dilemma.

_Think Zander… whoever that was, told you that Mew can help. All you need is some DNA and you can get out of here. The only question is, where am I gonna find something like…huh?_

Zander looked over at Mew who had been trying to get his attention for the past few minutes.

"What's up? Is something wrong?"

Mew nodded and pointed down the opposite hallway, a sign that Zander ought to follow it and perchance find a way of escape. Hesitant but determined, Zander briskly made his way down the path, pressing his back against the cold stone wall before peeking around the corner once more to see if the coast was clear. After deducing that it was safe to resume, he slipped down the hall and turned the corner and found himself in a rather spacious dead end room. Two statues of Darkrai stood in the center of the room on opposing sides of the room.

It was in that moment that he knew exactly where he was. A fragment of a memory played in his mind as he remembered being attacked by two darkly clad individuals wearing white hoods and outfits that resembled Darkrai itself. Anything that happened beforehand was a blur, but that part was crystal clear. To make matters worse, between the two statues were tiles with blood stains on them. While some of it was dry, a lot of it was still fresh. His stomach churned as the odor reached his nostrils.

He'd found his DNA sample, meaning he could possibly, depending upon who or what he turned into, leave this Arceus forsaken place. Mew hovered over the blood and analyzed it with its psychic power before turning towards Zander and focusing its ability on him. Within mere moments, Zander found himself in dark robes and was a head taller than he was previously. His hair was ragged and his face noticeably more itchy due to the beard that replaced his five o-clock shadow. The transformation had worked.

"Hey, you!" a voice shouted from behind him, causing him to turn around. "What are you still doing here? Unless you want to be fed to Persephone's Houndoom, I suggest you get upstairs immediately. You know she doesn't like it when her subordinates dawdle like this," scowled the cloaked individual as she turned and stalked off.

What was that all about? Whatever, I need to get out of here, Zander thought, shaking his head as he retraced his steps to the exit, only to find it being guarded.

_Damn! Looks like I'm going to have to find another way out!_

Grumbling under his breath, Zander made his way down the other hallway, heading to the north side of the cult's base in order to find an escape route. What he found, however, was anything but what he wanted. A massive gathering of Darkrai look-alikes were amassed in a large room similar to the one where he'd found the blood in. All was silent as everyone fixed their eyes upon what appeared to be a summoning circle where one of their own was shackled to the floor, screeching for his life while a woman with snow white locks and pink eyes, looked upon him with a pitiless expression.

"Don't do this! I… I don't want to die!" he protested as he yanked on the chains that held him.

"Need I remind you that when you joined… that is, when you made a pact with us, you vowed that you would give your life for this cause. How is this any different? You're fulfilling your duties, just as you always wanted," said with a slight degree of excitement.

"P-P-Persephone! I beg of you! I'll do anything! I swear it!"

"Oh I know you will, which is exactly why you're doing this," she chuckled, stepping away from the circle and concentrating.

There was a brief pause as Persephone spread her hands. Closing her eyes, she began to chant, causing the neon green circle where the subject stood to turn bright crimson. An intense pressure overtook the room as her eyes opened, power flowing from her as she began to speak louder.

"Darkrai! Lord of Nightmares I beseech you to enter this world at once!" Persephone cried out above the starting screams of the one she was offering.

"In return, I offer you the soul of this loyal servant to be bound forever to your world of nightmares! Now, appear before me at once!"

Zander watched in horror as the bound man fell over, writhing in pain before slumping on the ground, motionless. For a while, time seemed to stop. All was quiet until a dark mist filled the circle before Persephone. At her request, Darkrai, the ruler of nightmares had appeared. Afraid for his life, Zander wanted to run. However, as great as his desire to make tracks was, his feet wouldn't move no matter how much he tried to move. He couldn't take his eyes off the scene.

He stood, petrified as Persephone conversed with Darkrai, trying to convince it to join her side and take over the world as it were. To make things worse, it looked as though Darkrai was considering the offer… until it suddenly vanished from sight, leaving no trace of its dark presence behind. He found that he could move again, which was a good sign. The relief was short-lived however when he noticed that several of the multitude were backing away slowly.

"It vanished again. Well… that's just perfect! I bet it's gone off to see Diana again. She doesn't even share the same devotion to it as I do! Curse that sister of mine! A waste of a grunt is what that was…" Persephone fumed, balling her fists in rage as she whirled around to glare at her followers.

As she stepped down from the platform she was greeted by the two she'd left in charge of Zander's cell.

"You're in my way," she growled in warning.

"If I may, Mistress, I think we should give it another try. I'm not certain why it didn't work this time, but if we attempted it again I'm sure we could trap Darkrai here! I implore you. Let's not let this opportunity go to waste. We were so close."

"I don't recall ever asking you what you thought on the matter," Persephone replied, reaching up to her necklace and pulling off a ball from it, prompting the two to step back as she released her Houndoom.

"Please, no! We're sorry, we were out of line!"

"Fire Blast…"

Within seconds, Zander witnessed both grunts burned to cinders by the hell hound. All that remained was an ash heap which the angered woman trampled on as she strode directly past Zander, casting a look back at her followers before speaking.

"I'm going to go check on our guest downstairs. None of you had better follow me…" she warned before briskly storming off down the corridor.


	2. Chapter 2

Gone. How, or when he escaped she didn't know. What she did know, was that the two she'd sent to capture him would have had a lot of explaining to do... if she didn't already burn them to ashes.

_And life screws me once again! LOVELY! _

Angry didn't begin to describe how she was feeling. No... she was more like a seething cauldron of anger at this point. Not only had she wasted a grunt trying to convince Darkrai to join her, but she killed off two more, expending a total of three resources that she could have used. It was times like these where she detested her own hot-headedness and longed for a more sound mind. But no. Life just had to screw with her.

"I still don't understand it," Persephone muttered aloud, her eyes scanning each part of the cell for any clue that could lead her to the answer. "He was put to sleep for an indefinite period of time, and Gengar was there to make sure he didn't wake up or get away... so why is he gone!?" she shouted in rage, her fists trembling in anger as she turned and stalked out of the cell.

Storming down the hall, she made her way back to the room she'd left her cohorts and reached down for her Houndoom, releasing her into the open to gather the attention of her underlings.

"Listen up you ingrates! the prisoner's escaped. As you can plainly see, this does not make me very happy. So unless you want your faces burned off, I suggest that I get some volunteers to go find him and drag him back now, because if you don't..." she paused, snapping her fingers as a command to Houndoom who loosed a stream of fire that struck the ground in front of the grunts.

The toxicity of the flames began corroding the stone beneath, striking fear into the hearts of Persephone's followers. Without hesitation, she had multiple volunteers at her beck and call.

He didn't know how long he'd been running, but what he did know was that he had absolutely no idea where he was going. All he knew was that Mew was leading at that he had at least some hope of getting out of this Arceus forsaken forest before being burned alive by a psychopath with a beast from hell. It wasn't long until he reached what appeared to be a clearing up ahead. Bursting through to the other side, he panted in exhaustion, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. It wasn't until he'd opened his eyes and looked down at himself that he realized that the transformation had worn off. He was himself again!

Looking up, Zander found that there was an object floating in front of his face. Zander grabbed the levitating flute and examined it, only to find a note attached.

_If you're reading this note, that must mean that you've escaped from the lair of the Darkrai Cultists. Excellent! that brings me great relief. I'm sure you're wondering exactly what this is. It's the Quartz Flute. Whenever you need to, you may summon Mew with it and it will be there to help you in your time of need. I'm sure you must have a million questions by now and are probably wondering who it is that's helping you. Right now, I can't tell you that, but I can promise you that we'll meet soon. Most of your memories may be gone by now, but don't let that set you back. _

_Good luck_

_\- Your benefactor_

"So I can just call on you whenever huh?" Zander asked aloud, earning an affirmative "mew" from the feline.

"I'm not exactly sure how to thank you, but saying it's a start, right?" Zander sighed, earning a smile from the psychic cat.

As he was about to speak, Mew suddenly vanished. Hearing the sound of quickly approaching footsteps, Zander whirled around to see a young man around his age with dirty blond hair and light green eyes staring at him with an awestruck expression on his face.

"Umm..."

"That was Mew..."

"I'm sorry?"

"M-Mew... that was Mew wasn't it!?" he repeated, closing the distance between him and Zander quickly.

"Yeah? what about it?"

"Oh come on! it was right here a minute ago, and all you can say is 'what about it?'" the youth asked in bewilderment.

"Uh..."

"Nevermind that. What's that in your hand?" the blond demanded.

"It's... a flute. I play it whenever I have time," Zander lied.

"I see..." he paused, stroking his chin in thought as he pondered what he'd just seen. "Come to think of it... did you just come out of the forest?" he asked, glancing down at Zander's belt with a raised brow, "and without any Pokémon I see..."

"Maybe I felt like taking a walk?" Zander replied, earning a laugh from the blond.

"You're one strange guy. What's your name?"

"It's..." he paused, his mind rather fuzzy from what had transpired prior to this conversation. "It's Zander..."

"Zander huh? that's cool! I'm Damian. You might say I'm sortof an aspiring Pokémon Trainer. I mean... I don't have one of my own yet, but with the Augur visiting today, maybe I'll get my chance!" Damian exclaimed.

"Augur?"

"You can't be serious... you... do know who the Augur is right?" Damian asked hesitantly.

"Erm... well I..."

"Have you been living under a rock or something? he's only the greatest, most powerful man in the world, and my hero! everyone in town has been preparing for his arrival, and I was on my way back to get a gift for him, and you should do the same!" Damian said adamantly.

Do I look like I carry any money on me? Zander thought with a grimace. I guess this might work out. If this Augur is as important as they say, maybe I can get some answers on why I was captured...

"Sure, I guess..."

"Great! come with me, I'll introduce you to everyone. It's not everyday that we get to meet someone as strong as he is. You're lucky to be here for a time like this!" Damian said excitedly, urging Zander to follow with a wave of his hand.

Zander gave an exasperated sigh and reluctantly followed Damian, all the while thinking about everything he'd experienced within the past hour. None of it made a lick of sense and he was determined to get to the bottom of it. It didn't take the duo long to reach Telnor Town. It was a small, settlement in east Torren with a small population. Damian lead them to the Town Hall where several people were gathered in anticipation of the grand occasion that was the arrival of the Second Augur. Upon entering, Damian began looking around for his parents. Once he'd found them, he beckoned Zander to follow.

"Damian, I trust you finished your task for the day?" a middle-aged man with a bowl cut said, earning a nod in reply from Damian.

"The road's all clear dad. Everything looks great. The Augur will be pleased with it!" Damian said proudly.

"That's great! So... who's your friend?" asked the woman whom Zander presumed to be Damian's mother.

"Huh? oh! his name's Zander. He just got into town today, and right on time for the Augur to arrive. Neat huh?" Damian said with a grin.

"Neat indeed. Has he come to see the Augur as well?" asked Damian's father who glanced over at the brunette with curiousity.

"Err... well... I wasn't exactly—"

"Of course he is! he just uh... needs to get a gift is all! he kinda forgot in his hurry to get here," Damian said hastily, earning a confused expression from Zander.

"Ah, I see. Well, he'd best hurry then. Most of us already have our gifts to give. It would be very uncouth for someone to not bring the Augur a gift. Perhaps there might be a solution to this dilemma," said Damian's father, earning a hesitant look from his wife.

"If you're suggesting what I think you're suggesting then—"

"Denise... the boy's eighteen years old now. He's not a child anymore and is plenty old enough to—"

"Follow in the footsteps of the other trainers who've gotten themselves killed by those damned cultists!? No. Not a chance in hell!"

"Since when did you care anyway? you're not even my real mother..."

"Excuse you!? Damian, I raised you since you were born! I know you. You're irresponsible, reclusive and incapable of—"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Damian's father boomed, causing a few of the gathered townsfolk to turn their heads toward the disturbance. "You're embarrassing us... both of you. Damian is a grown-ass young man who can start making his own decisions. I am his father, and have just as much of a say in this as you. And while your concerns are valid, we ought to be thinking about how we can help him instead of belittling him before a guest. That being said... Zander was it? if it's not too much to ask, I'd appreciate it if you'd accompany our son to the lab and get a Pokémon with him. There's a place where you can find a significantly rare item that would please the Augur and bring good fortune to us, however if you venture in there without a Pokémon it could be very dangerous. You will need to visit Professor Sylvan in her lab... "

"You're really OK with this Dad?" Damian asked, earning an affirmative nod from his father.

"I believe it's time you got to do what you've always wanted. And since you will have someone to accompany you, I don't see why you can't become a trainer now, right Denise?"

Denise let out a defeated sigh before tossing her hands up in defeat.

"Alright. If you think he's responsible enough, fine. I guess if he's with someone else, I can rest easier. I still don't think he's ready..."

"So this means—"

"That's right son. You're officially given permission to get a Pokémon. So why don't you head down to the lab and see what Professor Sylvan has to offer?" his father said proudly.

"Thanks Dad, mom... I won't let you down! I'll become an awesome trainer, you'll see!" Damian said confidently.

_Looks like it worked out for him. Still... after what went down back there, I had planned to lay low for a while. But it looks like I won't be doing that anytime soon_, Zander groaned inwardly.

"Ready Zander? come on, there's no time to lose!" Damian said excitedly, bolting straight out of the Town Hall.

Sweat trickled down the side of Zander's face. Damian had far more energy than the average person. Looking back at Damian's parents, many questions began buzzing around in his mind. What happened to his biological mother? why was his step mom so against him becoming a trainer? While he wanted to ask these questions, he knew it was none of his business. Deciding to put the thoughts on the back burner for now, he made his way out of the Town Hall and back outside where Damian was nowhere in sight.

Taking a quick survey of the area, Zander quickly spotted the laboratory in the center of the small town. It wasn't long before he was opening the doors to walk inside. Within moments, he was confronted by a most unusual scene.

"How many times do I have to tell you that you're not welcome here?" spat a woman with azure hair and large-rimmed glasses.

Before her stood a tall man garbed in a black trench coat and a fedora. A stoic expression rested on his face as he absorbed the words thrown at him by the woman in a lab coat.

"I'm aware, however... I won't leave until you hear me out..." he replied calmly.

"And why should I? I know what you've done... the people you've hurt! to think we were friends..." she fired back coldly.

Clenching his fist, the man slammed it on the table he was leaning against and shouted, "dammit Vanessa, this isn't about me!"

Vanessa swallowed a lump in her throat as she saw the pained expression on the face of the man she had once called her friend. Her eyes darted to his hands as he reached into his coat pocket to bring out three poké balls.

"These Pokémon... they're not normal. Unlike the ones we know, these three are freaks. They won't survive a day in the wild. They need to be with a trainer. I may not have the right to ask anything of you, but I am pleading... for the sake of these three, please take them in. If you don't, I will release them and they will die..."

Vanessa Sylvan knew a lot about the man before her. His cruelty went beyond what she could have possibly imagined. But there was one small part of him that remained tucked away inside of him. Even if he was a monster, did that mean that the Pokémon had to suffer? Would she reject them just because he was offering? Certainly not. As a Professor and one who was as dedicated to the field of research as she was, it would go against her very nature and core beliefs to do such a thing. Catching sight of the two young men who entered the lab, she turned around and crossed her arms.

"Put them on the table and leave..." she said sternly.

"Thank you Vanessa..." was all he said as he set the three spheres down and turned to leave.

A flicker of a smile spread briefly on his face as he saw Zander and Damian standing a few feet away. Tilting his hat down to shade his eyes, he walked out of the lab, his trench rustling behind him.

"Who was that?" Damian asked no one in particular.

Zander shrugged and turned his attention to Vanessa who was just turning around to meet their eyes.

"My apologies for that... I wasn't expecting a visit from that man," she grunted, adjusting her glasses as she stepped forward to greet them. "What can I do for you two?"

"Hi Professor, I'm Damian and this is Zander. We're here to—"

"Get a Pokémon, right?" she finished, a smile flashing across her face as she received a nod from both of them.

"I see. Well I do have quite a few Eevee..."

They won't survive a day in the wild... they need a trainer...

Vanessa shook her head and rubbed her temples as the man's words came flooding back to her.

"And then there's these three. I have my reserves against giving them to trainers just starting out but..."

"If no one takes them, they'll die... right?" Zander spoke up.

"Only if they aren't properly cared for. Judging by the way you asked, I assume you are interested in them, right?" Vanessa inquired.

Zander looked at the trio of spheres and then back at Vanessa. He wasn't certain what it was that was drawing him to them, but he felt as though he needed to adopt one of the three. Like him, they were in some sort of danger without knowing why. According to what that man had said, they would most certainly die if not cared for. They needed someone to look out for them. Perhaps, if he took in one of these so called "freaks" he could get some answers.

"Yes. I would like to take a look at them if I may," was his reply as he stepped up to the table to reach for them.

"I'm with Zander. I heard what was said, and I can't call myself a trainer if I let a Pokémon die before it has a chance to really live," Damian said with steel in his eyes.

"Very well then, you may see them," Vanessa replied with a soft smile, nervousness written on her face as they each took the spheres and released the trio into the open.

Damian staggered back as he saw what came out of the three spheres. They all bore a striking resemblance to the starters given out in Kanto. But while they were similar, they were deformed and clearly unlike any other of their kind. The one he identified as Bulbasaur was pink with a spotted bulb on its back. The Squirtle look-alike was purple and yellow in color and wore what appeared to be a black mask over its eyes. And before Zander stood the most bizarre looking Charmander he'd ever seen. It was a walking skeletal lizard with a violet flame on its tail and in its eyes. And most peculiar of all, it floated into the air, got closer to Zander and looked right into his eyes.


End file.
